How is life up in Alaska.

[quack_head]

Anchorage. Please, tell me your experience. I was born in Michigan I have felt cold air. What are the summers like? What is Anchorage like? Would my wife want a divorce after a year?

[wvbowhunterinalaska]

Well after almost a year and half of living here, I can say it is a pretty nice place. The summers tend to be a little on the wet end of things at times. It will get nice for a couple three weeks and then turn rainy again. Housing here in Anchorage is pretty expensive, lots of people live out in the Mat-Su valley (Palmer/Wasilla) and commute into Anchorage everyday. If your wife is used to the cold winters of Michigan, hopefully she will be able to adjust. You do have to watch out for Season Affect Disorder in the winter. The more you can get her involved in activities the better off she will be. There are lots of jobs up here to be had, and the pay is pretty decent. My wife lived her entire live in the desert Southwest and she has adjusted pretty well all things considered. Fishing is awesome up here during the summer. I recommend going halibut fishing, best tasting fish in the world. Unless you want to spend an arm and a leg your first hunting season up here, then you might want to hold off on getting a license till after you are a resident. How long are you planning to move up here for? Also keep in mind that grizzly bear, Dall sheep, and mountain goat require a liscensed guide for non-residents. If you are an archery hunter there is an awesome archery club on Elmendorf AFB that civilians can become members of. It is called the Black Sheep Archery Club. Good group of guys up here. Just google Black Sheep Archery Club to get to the link for membership. Also do you plan on flying or driving up and what time of year are you moving up here? Driving the ALCAN can be an adventure in and of itself. Best of luck with the move and hope I was of help. If you have anymore specific questions just reply back to this post and I will try to answer them as best I can.
WVBOWAK

[2rocky]

I have a friend from AZ I could put you in contact with who is now fulltime in AK. He can give you the low down on Anchorage. Drop me an e-mail if you need more input.


Remember," a day of sun in Alaska is worth two weeks of rain"

[Redneck75]

Be real, real careful moving to Alaska. You'll never leave. Seriously though, if you are into the outdoors, there is no other place like it. I lived there for 3 years and as soon as this whole Navy thing is finished in a few years I will spend the rest of my life back up in Alaska. As said previously, Seasonal Affective Disorder is an issue with the many hours of darkness during the winters but you get used to it. If you lay around the house all winter, you'll probably not like it. If you get out and do things, you'll find it's not too big an issue. All of us live through the winters just to take advantage of the Alaskan Summers! They are worth the long winters just to be outdoors in the summers.

[AkMike1]

"How is life in Alaska?"

Terrible! Wet, cold, hungry cutting firewood all summer to heat all winter.We need to build fresh igloos every winter. Tell you're friends and enemys it the arm pit of the world. I have endured it for almost 45 years. ( And will til I draw my last breath.)

[waldo2382]

Hunting and fishing sucks. Plenty of miles to drive and there aren't mini malls on every corner. Bears and wolves taking pets and small children. Moose ramming vehicles on the road in the middle of the night. Tourist season every summer and we can't shoot them. Don't forget about the penguins too. They tell you there are no penguins up here, but they don't want you to know about the penguins up here.

Seriously, Los Anchorage isn't that bad. It is the state's largest city and housing can't be pricey, but better than Kalifornia. Nice thing is you can easily drive down the Kenai Peninsula or up to Fairbanks and beyond or over to Tok and the lower 48. Truth be told, even though the state is big, there are less roads than any other state. Best thing to do would be to visit for a week or two or three and drive around. See what you could be doing in your time off and if the wife likes it especially finding things to do in winter time when people tend to get that cabin fever. Saying you're moving to Anchorage is like saying you're moving to Los Angeles, well maybe not that big, but there are the other little incorperated towns like Turnagain, Eagle River, and many others, than you can also live in Palmer-Wasilla area about 30 miles or so up the road.

[Widux]

When I went there in 74 during the Pipeline Boom there were about 230,00 folks there- And it was like Sat Night Live-Money every where- no lawns- no man's ties- no Sunday paper- no Superbowl til Monday-no phone in home for 1 1/2 yr- Loved it- now it gets 1.7 Yahoos a year on Cruise Ships-Big new houses in subdivisions all over- Anchorage has moved to Lower 48 and is now the closest city to AK. About 600,00 folks crowded into a few towns--Fairbanks now has Lowe's, China Mart(Wal),
Sportsman's Warehouse etc- Still miss it as I left after 25 yrs(98) but it ain't the same- Fed's took over most Hunting & Fishing and they and Liberals gave much of priorities in them to Natives.

[BUSTEDKNEE]

QUOTE (Widux @ Dec 16 2007, 09:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When I went there in 74 during the Pipeline Boom there were about 230,00 folks there- And it was like Sat Night Live-Money every where- no lawns- no man's ties- no Sunday paper- no Superbowl til Monday-no phone in home for 1 1/2 yr- Loved it- now it gets 1.7 Yahoos a year on Cruise Ships-Big new houses in subdivisions all over- Anchorage has moved to Lower 48 and is now the closest city to AK. About 600,00 folks crowded into a few towns--Fairbanks now has Lowe's, China Mart(Wal),
Sportsman's Warehouse etc- Still miss it as I left after 25 yrs(98) but it ain't the same- Fed's took over most Hunting & Fishing and they and Liberals gave much of priorities in them to Natives.[/b]

Glad to see I'm not the only one that feels this way.

When we moved to Kenai many years ago it was fun to fish the river. Now it is so full of guides and clients...well I couldn't take anymore and sold my boat.
Before I retired I would go home for lunch then sit at the stop sign for what seemed like hours waiting for the traffic from Nikiski to thin. WTH, there is nothing in Nikiski!
I put up with months and months and months and months of ice and snow just for a few days of summers only to get overwhelmed by the tourist and skeeters.
And what is it with all those Californians buying up the 3 and 4 bedroom homes, calling them a cabin, then spending only 2 weeks here each summer?
And the hunting, don't get me started. People everywhere, and it is extremely rare to meet anyone with manners. They are slobs.

Damn, I'm old!

[Widux]

So am i retired in 93--stayed around till 98 strill miss it BUT go back for Vintage snomachine races in Fai in march and to fish in Juneau in July-- Man what changes--fai has lowe's-- Sportsman's wharehouse, sam,s and more crap over on east end tthan NYC or LA. Juneau has been given part and parcel to the tour operators and their minions selling emeralds-diamonds etc--What happened to gold nuggets- ivory etc??Nice thing thgeir is we take off about 1 hr after landing in Jnu on buddies boat and do not return till we're flying out-- do go to Triangle bar( downtown) once each trip to eat hot dogs-drink beer- and gawk at touristas. I know they old days weren't that great BUT at least we were left alone for most part-

[BUSTEDKNEE]

I know guys that are recent arrivals and they think they have died and gone to heaven.

I want to cry when I think about how it used to be.

[Widux]

Most likely they went from LA to Los Anchorage!! Rememberr when you could park your truck on causway at Homer and pitch your tent on beach--and could fish from Muni pier-- and catch crabs also- without having to buy a Dbl 1/2caf. Mocha Latte'

[sep]

I live just outside Fairbanks but have spent my share of time in Anchortown for a variety of reasons. I served 11 of my 20 years in the Air Force up here. When I retired from the military, I came back. That was in 2004. I have no plans of ever leaving Alaska. Why would I want to? The hunting and fishing opportunities are great...and so are the people!

Sure things have changed over the years but they've changed everywhere. To put this in perspective, google the year 2000 census conducted by the feds and look at the projected population growth forecasted from 2000-2030. The peoples republic of kalifornia is expected to double in population while Alaska is expected to increase by only 30%. If anyone thinks life up here sucks...move to Hellifornia around the year 2030 for a real attitude adjustment! For me, there is no better place to live. Yup, we have our share of problems but I'll gladly tolerate them for the quality of life I get in return.

[Widux]

OH don't get me wrong--I am here(Wisc.) for wife and her famly and some other reasons-- I MISS it-- lived in Goldstream Valley for 25 yrs and was mayor( honorary) for two-owned the Goldstream Store which I bought from Ivory Jack O'Brien, original owner builder of it and Ivory Jack's restaurant- a great place in Pipeline days--I was fortunate and my job took me all over the state. My son still ives in NP-- he worked this winter for contractor clearing snow etc for Stryker Brigade at Ft Wainwright.

[PA12]

The weather is tough anywhere in the state. Lots of stuff for men to do but most women coming from the lower 48 find it difficult. If you or your wife are prone to depression I would say don't do it. I lived in Southeast where the colors are blue, green and gray most of the time and sunshine is mostly a rumor and the mountaintops are in the clouds 75% of the time but I loved it.

Alaska is tough on relationships, too. They call it Spring breakup season for more than one reason. If you and your wife think you're stable people comfortable with yourselves and each other I couldn't think of a better place on earth to be. I'm not too hot on Los Anchorage but like they say, Anchorage isn't that bad of a place to live and the best thing about it is it's close to Alaska.

[Widux]

Excellent post PA12--

[TagEmBagEm]

Sadly; The Last Great Frontier, just like everything else will succumb to the all mighty dollar.

I am one of those tourists. One of those people who sit and dream in my office of the day when I can just live off the fatta the land. Like in a John Steinbeck novel. I have fished there a few times. Caught 110 lb. halibut. Fished the Kenai a few times for salmon with no luck. I have never been afforded the opportunity of a hunt, but my brother in law and sister both have harvested enough every season to keep the family fat and happy.

Some day. Some day.

Question is... are any Alaskan citizens native?

[waldo2382]

Are any Alaskans native?
Well not on this board, but there are quite a few that are. The offspring tend to move on to other places but it depends on what you make of the place. You MUST be an outdoorsy type of person or enjoy your liquer. Summers and fall are one thing, winters and springs are another. Key is keeping occupied. Lots of people come for the hunting and fishing, but when December rolls around, really think...what are you going to do until May? There are things to do, I can't tell you exactly what they are since it is different strokes for different folks, but having a project to do preserves sanity or else you may find yourself here part time.